Marjan Boerma, PhD

Research Program: DNA Damage and Host Response Faculty Rank: Associate Professor Campus: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College: College of Pharmacy Department: Pharmaceutical Sciences

Cancer Research Interest

• Disease Site Focus: No Specific Disease Site
• Research Focus Area: Prevention, Detection, Treatment
• Type of Research: Basic
• Research Interest Statement: With continuous improvements in detection and treatment of cancer, the number of cancer cures is increasing. However, cancer patients and survivors may suffer from side effects during and after the completion of cancer therapy. For instance, several chemotherapeutic agents are toxic to the heart, and cardiac toxicity is also reported in a subset of patients treated with thoracic radiation therapy. The overall objective of Dr. Boerma?s research is to elucidate biological mechanisms by which cancer therapy causes cardiovascular injury and to identify potential countermeasures for intervention. We use pre-clinical research models that address cardiac side effects of radiation therapy, alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic agents. Cardiac function, tissue structure, and molecular alterations in response to radiation and chemotherapy are assessed.

Contact Information

• Email Address: MBoerma@uams.edu
• Profiles Research Networking Software: View Profile

Active Grants

• NIH/Nat. Inst. of General Medical Sciences – 2P20GM109005
  “Center for Studies on Host Response to Cancer Therapy”
  Principal Investigator
  08/17/20 – 05/31/25
• NIH/Nat. Inst. of General Medical Sciences – 2P20GM109005
  “ADMINISTRATIVE CORE”
  Principal Investigator
  08/17/20 – 05/31/25
• NIH/Nat. Inst. of General Medical Sciences – 2P20GM109005
  “IRRADIATION AND ANIMAL CORE”
  Principal Investigator
  08/17/20 – 05/31/25
• US Department of Defense – ADVANCE ACCOUNT
  “Role of TLR4 in Radiation-induced Cardiomyopathy/Upstate NY”
  Principal Investigator
  07/01/20 – 09/30/22
• NIH/Nat. Inst. of Allergy & Infectious Diseases – 1U01AI148308
  “Development of a minimally invasive biomarker assay to detect delayed radiation injury”
  Principal Investigator
  02/01/20 – 01/31/25
• National Aeronautics & Space Administration – 80NSSC19K0437 P00005
  “Tocotrienol as a countermeasure against high-energy charged particle-induced carcinogenesis, cardiovascular disease, and central nervous system effects- Resubmission”
  Principal Investigator
  01/31/19 – 10/31/22

Publications

• Hinzman CP, Jayatilake M, Bansal S, [et al., including Boerma M]. An optimized method for the isolation of urinary extracellular vesicles for molecular phenotyping: detection of biomarkers for radiation exposure. Journal of translational medicine. 2022 20(1):199. PMID: 35538547. PMCID: PMC9092707.
• Yom SS, Deville C Jr, Boerma M, [et al.]. Evaluating the Generalizability and Reproducibility of Scientific Research. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics. 2022 113(1):1-4. PMID: 35427541.
• Nemec-Bakk AS, Sridharan V, Landes RD, [et al., including Boerma M]. Effects of low-dose oxygen ions on cardiac function and structure in female C57BL/6J mice. Life sciences in space research. 2022 32:105-112. PMID: 35065756. PMCID: PMC8803400.
• Townsend D, Kiser JW, Boerma M, [et al.]. A Request for Scientific Accountability in Public Statements. Health physics. 2022. PMID: 35085115.
• Boerma M, Sridharan V, Krager KJ, Pawar SA. Small animal models of localized heart irradiation. Methods in cell biology. 2022 168:221-234. PMID: 35366984.
• Corken A, Ghosh SP, Du R, [et al., including Boerma M]. Platelet glycoprotein Ib? provides radiation protection. Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology. 2021 167:143-148. PMID: 34971661.
• Brown JM, Freeman ML, Marples B, Boerma M. Reflections of the Senior Editors for Biology. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics. 2021 111(5):1118-1119. PMID: 34793735.
• Dina Zita M, Phillips MB, Stuart JD, [et al., including Boerma M]. The M2 Gene Is a Determinant of Reovirus-Induced Myocarditis. Journal of virology. 2021:JVI0187921. PMID: 34757847.
• Nemec-Bakk AS, Sridharan V, Landes RD, [et al., including Boerma M]. Mitigation of late cardiovascular effects of oxygen ion radiation by ?-tocotrienol in a mouse model. Life sciences in space research. 2021 31:43-50. PMID: 34689949. PMCID: PMC8548672.
• Park SS, Boerma M. Hypofractionated Irradiation and Immune Modulation Therapies: Let's Work Together!. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics. 2021 111(3):589-591. PMID: 34560018.
• Jun SR, Boerma M, Udaondo Z, [et al.]. Plasma Metabolomics in a Nonhuman Primate Model of Abdominal Radiation Exposure. Metabolites. 2021 11(8). PMID: 34436481. PMCID: PMC8398377.
• Yarlagadda L, Boerma M, Gundarlapalli S, [et al.]. Salvage Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Daratumumab-Refractory Multiple Myeloma. Cancers. 2021 13(16). PMID: 34439174. PMCID: PMC8392190.
• Boerma M, Davis CM, Jackson IL, [et al.]. All for one, though not one for all: team players in normal tissue radiobiology. International journal of radiation biology. 2021:1-21. PMID: 34129427.
• Swinton C, Kiffer F, McElroy T, [et al., including Boerma M]. Effects of 16O charged-particle irradiation on cognition, hippocampal morphology and mutagenesis in female mice. Behavioural brain research. 2021 407:113257. PMID: 33794227.
• Brown T, Boerma M, McElroy T, [et al.]. Cognitive impairment resulting from treatment with docetaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide. Brain research. 2021 1760:147397. PMID: 33705788.
• Wang J, Garg S, Landes RD, [et al., including Boerma M]. Differential Recovery of Small Intestinal Segments after Partial-Body Irradiation in Non-Human Primates. Radiation research. 2021. PMID: 34043805.
• Schinke CD, Boerma M, Bird JT, [et al.]. PHF19 inhibition as a therapeutic target in multiple myeloma. Current research in translational medicine. 2021 69(3):103290. PMID: 33894670.
• Hritzo B, Aghdam SY, Legesse B, [et al., including Boerma M]. Late Health Effects of Partial Body Irradiation Injury in a Minipig Model Are Associated with Changes in Systemic and Cardiac IGF-1 Signaling. International journal of molecular sciences. 2021 22(6). PMID: 33807089. PMCID: PMC8005067.
• Sadhukhan R, Majumdar D, Garg S, [et al., including Boerma M]. Simultaneous exposure to chronic irradiation and simulated microgravity differentially alters immune cell phenotype in mouse thymus and spleen. Life sciences in space research. 2021 28:66-73. PMID: 33612181. PMCID: PMC7900614.
• Sridharan V, Johnson KA, Landes RD, [et al., including Boerma M]. Sex-dependent effects of genetic upregulation of activated protein C on delayed effects of acute radiation exposure in the mouse heart, small intestine, and skin. PloS one. 2021 16(5):e0252142. PMID: 34029348. PMCID: PMC8143413.
• Boerma M, Koturbash I. Manned space travel: from a race between nations to a race against the environmental stressors beyond earth. Journal of environmental science and health. Part C, Toxicology and carcinogenesis. 2021 39(2):109-112. PMID: 33902390.
• Apte N, Dherange P, Mustafa U, [et al., including Boerma M]. Cancer Radiation Therapy May Be Associated With Atrial Fibrillation. Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine. 2021 8:610915. PMID: 33553271. PMCID: PMC7862558.
• Bose C, Alves I, Singh P, [et al., including Boerma M]. Sulforaphane prevents age-associated cardiac and muscular dysfunction through Nrf2 signaling. Aging cell. 2020 19(11):e13261. PMID: 33067900. PMCID: PMC7681049.
• Koss B, Boerma M, Shields BD, [et al.]. Epigenetic Control of Cdkn2a.Arf Protects Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes from Metabolic Exhaustion. Cancer research. 2020. PMID: 33004350.
• Jun SR, Cheema A, Bose C, [et al., including Boerma M]. Multi-Omic Analysis Reveals Different Effects of Sulforaphane on the Microbiome and Metabolome in Old Compared to Young Mice. Microorganisms. 2020 8(10). PMID: 33003447.
• Ewing LE, Skinner CM, Pathak R, [et al., including Boerma M]. Dietary Methionine Supplementation Exacerbates Gastrointestinal Toxicity in a Mouse Model of Abdominal Irradiation. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics. 2020. PMID: 33002540.
• Mao XW, Nishiyama NC, Byrum SD, [et al., including Boerma M]. Spaceflight induces oxidative damage to blood-brain barrier integrity in a mouse model. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 2020. PMID: 32981077.
• Sridharan V, Seawright JW, Landes RD, [et al., including Boerma M]. Effects of single-dose protons or oxygen ions on function and structure of the cardiovascular system in male Long Evans rats. Life sciences in space research. 2020 26:62-68. PMID: 32718688. PMCID: PMC7387753.
• Tascioglu Aliyev A, LoBianco F, Krager KJ, [et al., including Boerma M]. Assessment of Cellular Oxidation using a Subcellular Compartment-Specific Redox-Sensitive Green Fluorescent Protein. Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE. 2020(160). PMID: 32628158.
• Upadhyay M, Rajagopal M, Gill K, [et al., including Boerma M]. Identification of Plasma Lipidome Changes Associated with Low Dose Space-Type Radiation Exposure in a Murine Model. Metabolites. 2020 10(6). PMID: 32560360. PMCID: PMC7345467.
• Unger K, Li Y, Yeh C, [et al., including Boerma M]. Plasma metabolite biomarkers predictive of radiation induced cardiotoxicity. Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology. 2020. PMID: 32360032.
• Schlaak RA, SenthilKumar G, Boerma M, Bergom C. Advances in Preclinical Research Models of Radiation-Induced Cardiac Toxicity. Cancers. 2020 12(2). PMID: 32053873. PMCID: PMC7072196.
• Gilreath C, Boerma M, Qin Z, [et al.]. The Hypoxic Microenvironment of Breast Cancer Cells Promotes Resistance in Radiation Therapy. Frontiers in oncology. 2020 10:629422. PMID: 33680952. PMCID: PMC7930560.
• Kiffer F, Alexander T, Anderson J, [et al., including Boerma M]. Late Effects of 1H + 16O on Short-Term and Object Memory, Hippocampal Dendritic Morphology and Mutagenesis. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience. 2020 14:96. PMID: 32670032. PMCID: PMC7332779.
• Lakkaniga NR, Boerma M, Balasubramaniam M, [et al.]. Structural Characterization of the Aurora Kinase B "DFG-flip" Using Metadynamics. The AAPS journal. 2019 22(1):14. PMID: 31853739.
• Mao XW, Boerma M, Rodriguez D, [et al.]. Combined Effects of Low-Dose Proton Radiation and Simulated Microgravity on the Mouse Retina and the Hematopoietic System. Radiation research. 2019 192(3):241-250. PMID: 30430917. PMCID: PMC6820356.
• Miousse IR, Skinner CM, Sridharan V, [et al., including Boerma M]. Changes in one-carbon metabolism and DNA methylation in the hearts of mice exposed to space environment-relevant doses of oxygen ions (16O). Life sciences in space research. 2019 22:8-15. PMID: 31421852. PMCID: PMC6703167.
• Binz RL, Boerma M, Tian E, [et al.]. Identification of novel breakpoints for locus- and region-specific translocations in 293 cells by molecular cytogenetics before and after irradiation. Scientific reports. 2019 9(1):10554. PMID: 31332273. PMCID: PMC6646394.
• Mao XW, Nishiyama NC, Byrum SD, [et al., including Boerma M]. Characterization of mouse ocular response to a 35-day spaceflight mission: Evidence of blood-retinal barrier disruption and ocular adaptations. Scientific reports. 2019 9(1):8215. PMID: 31160660. PMCID: PMC6547757.
• Kiffer F, Boerma M, Allen A. Behavioral effects of space radiation: A comprehensive review of animal studies. Life sciences in space research. 2019 21:1-21. PMID: 31101151.
• Garg S, Boerma M, Sadhukhan R, [et al.]. Gamma-Tocotrienol Protects the Intestine from Radiation Potentially by Accelerating Mesenchymal Immune Cell Recovery. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland). 2019 8(3). PMID: 30845647. PMCID: PMC6466604.
• Kiffer F, Alexander T, Anderson JE, [et al., including Boerma M]. Late Effects of 16O-Particle Radiation on Female Social and Cognitive Behavior and Hippocampal Physiology. Radiation research. 2019 191(3):278-294. PMID: 30664396.
• Seawright JW, Sridharan V, Landes RD, [et al., including Boerma M]. Effects of low-dose oxygen ions and protons on cardiac function and structure in male C57BL/6J mice. Life sciences in space research. 2019 20:72-84. PMID: 30797436. PMCID: PMC6391741.
• Howe A, Kiffer F, Alexander TC, [et al., including Boerma M]. Long-Term Changes in Cognition and Physiology after Low-Dose 16O Irradiation. International journal of molecular sciences. 2019 20(1). PMID: 30621014. PMCID: PMC6337104.
• Aykin-Burns N, Pathak R, Boerma M, [et al.]. Utilization of Vitamin E Analogs to Protect Normal Tissues While Enhancing Antitumor Effects. Seminars in radiation oncology. 2019 29(1):55-61. PMID: 30573184. PMCID: PMC6309800.
• Ewing LE, Miousse IR, Pathak R, [et al., including Boerma M]. NZO/HlLtJ as a novel model for the studies on the role of metabolic syndrome in acute radiation toxicity. International journal of radiation biology. 2018:1-21. PMID: 30561233. PMCID: PMC6581619.
• Skinner CM, Miousse IR, Ewing LE, [et al., including Boerma M]. Impact of obesity on the toxicity of a multi-ingredient dietary supplement, OxyELITE Pro? (New Formula), using the novel NZO/HILtJ obese mouse model: Physiological and mechanistic assessments. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association. 2018 122:21-32. PMID: 30282009. PMCID: PMC6219625.
• Mao XW, Byrum S, Nishiyama NC, [et al., including Boerma M]. Impact of Spaceflight and Artificial Gravity on the Mouse Retina: Biochemical and Proteomic Analysis. International journal of molecular sciences. 2018 19(9). PMID: 30154332. PMCID: PMC6165321.
• Mao XW, Boerma M, Rodriguez D, [et al.]. Acute Effect of Low-Dose Space Radiation on Mouse Retina and Retinal Endothelial Cells. Radiation research. 2018 190(1):45-52. PMID: 29741442. PMCID: PMC6820357.
• Kiffer F, Howe AK, Carr H, [et al., including Boerma M]. Late effects of 1H irradiation on hippocampal physiology. Life sciences in space research. 2018 17:51-62. PMID: 29753414.
• Carr H, Alexander TC, Groves T, [et al., including Boerma M]. Early effects of 16O radiation on neuronal morphology and cognition in a murine model. Life sciences in space research. 2018 17:63-73. PMID: 29753415.
• Bose C, Awasthi S, Sharma R, [et al., including Boerma M]. Sulforaphane potentiates anticancer effects of doxorubicin and attenuates its cardiotoxicity in a breast cancer model. PloS one. 2018 13(3):e0193918. PMID: 29518137. PMCID: PMC5843244.
• Kiffer F, Carr H, Groves T, [et al., including Boerma M]. Effects of 1H + 16O Charged Particle Irradiation on Short-Term Memory and Hippocampal Physiology in a Murine Model. Radiation research. 2018 189(1):53-63. PMID: 29136391.
• Chang J, Wang Y, Pathak R, [et al., including Boerma M]. Whole body proton irradiation causes acute damage to bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor and stem cells in mice. International journal of radiation biology. 2017 93(12):1312-1320. PMID: 28782442. PMCID: PMC6693495.
• Casero D, Gill K, Sridharan V, [et al., including Boerma M]. Space-type radiation induces multimodal responses in the mouse gut microbiome and metabolome. Microbiome. 2017 5(1):105. PMID: 28821301. PMCID: PMC5563039.
• Groves TR, Wang J, Boerma M, Allen AR. Assessment of Hippocampal Dendritic Complexity in Aged Mice Using the Golgi-Cox Method. Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE. 2017(124). PMID: 28671647. PMCID: PMC5608494.
• Miousse IR, Tobacyk J, Melnyk S, [et al., including Boerma M]. One-carbon metabolism and ionizing radiation: a multifaceted interaction. Biomolecular concepts. 2017 8(2):83-92. PMID: 28574375. PMCID: PMC6693336.
• Boerma M, Coyle EA, Dietrich MA, [et al.]. Point/Counterpoint: Are Outstanding Leaders Born or Made?. American journal of pharmaceutical education. 2017 81(3):58. PMID: 28496278. PMCID: PMC5423074.
• Sridharan V, Seawright JW, Antonawich FJ, [et al., including Boerma M]. Late Administration of a Palladium Lipoic Acid Complex (POLY-MVA) Modifies Cardiac Mitochondria but Not Functional or Structural Manifestations of Radiation-Induced Heart Disease in a Rat Model. Radiation research. 2017 187(3):361-366. PMID: 28231026. PMCID: PMC5483333.
• Sharma S, Narayanasamy G, Przybyla B, [et al., including Boerma M]. Advanced Small Animal Conformal Radiation Therapy Device. Technology in cancer research & treatment. 2017 16(1):45-56. PMID: 26792490. PMCID: PMC5616115.
• Sharma S, Narayanasamy G, Clarkson R, [et al., including Boerma M]. Study of Image Qualities From 6D Robot-Based CBCT Imaging System of Small Animal Irradiator. Technology in cancer research & treatment. 2017:1533034617700558. PMID: 28355964. PMCID: PMC5762036.
• Groves TR, Farris R, Anderson JE, [et al., including Boerma M]. 5-Fluorouracil chemotherapy upregulates cytokines and alters hippocampal dendritic complexity in aged mice. Behavioural brain research. 2017 316:215-224. PMID: 27599618. PMCID: PMC5824640.
• Seawright JW, Samman Y, Sridharan V, [et al., including Boerma M]. Effects of low-dose rate ?-irradiation combined with simulated microgravity on markers of oxidative stress, DNA methylation potential, and remodeling in the mouse heart. PloS one. 2017 12(7):e0180594. PMID: 28678877. PMCID: PMC5498037.
• Wang Y, Chang J, Li X, [et al., including Boerma M]. Low doses of oxygen ion irradiation cause long-term damage to bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor and stem cells in mice. PloS one. 2017 12(12):e0189466. PMID: 29232383. PMCID: PMC5726652.
• Boerma M, Freeman ML. Radiation Biology: Targeting CD47 in Cancer Growth Inhibition and Normal Tissue Protection. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics. 2016 96(2):245-247. PMID: 27598800.
• Boerma M, Sridharan V, Mao XW, [et al.]. Effects of ionizing radiation on the heart. Mutation research. 2016 770(Pt B):319-327. PMID: 27919338. PMCID: PMC5144922.
• Pathak R, Bachri A, Ghosh SP, [et al., including Boerma M]. The Vitamin E Analog Gamma-Tocotrienol (GT3) Suppresses Radiation-Induced Cytogenetic Damage. Pharmaceutical research. 2016 33(9):2117-25. PMID: 27216753. PMCID: PMC4967083.
• Wang Y, Boerma M, Zhou D. Ionizing Radiation-Induced Endothelial Cell Senescence and Cardiovascular Diseases. Radiation research. 2016 186(2):153-61. PMID: 27387862. PMCID: PMC4997805.
• Liu X, Gujarathi S, Zhang X, [et al., including Boerma M]. Synthesis of (2R,8' S,3' E)-?-tocodienol, a tocoflexol family member designed to have a superior pharmacokinetic profile compared to ?-tocotrienol. Tetrahedron. 2016 72(27-28):4001-4006. PMID: 27773949. PMCID: PMC5070675.
• Sridharan V, Thomas CJ, Cao M, [et al., including Boerma M]. Effects of local irradiation combined with sunitinib on early remodeling, mitochondria, and oxidative stress in the rat heart. Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology. 2016 119(2):259-64. PMID: 27072940. PMCID: PMC4909572.
• Koturbash I, Miousse IR, Sridharan V, [et al., including Boerma M]. Radiation-induced changes in DNA methylation of repetitive elements in the mouse heart. Mutation research. 2016 787:43-53. PMID: 26963372. PMCID: PMC4828271.
• Ramadan SS, Sridharan V, Koturbash I, [et al., including Boerma M]. A priming dose of protons alters the early cardiac cellular and molecular response to (56)Fe irradiation. Life sciences in space research. 2016 8:8-13. PMID: 26948008. PMCID: PMC4782196.
• Chang J, Luo Y, Wang Y, [et al., including Boerma M]. Low Doses of Oxygen Ion Irradiation Cause Acute Damage to Hematopoietic Cells in Mice. PloS one. 2016 11(7):e0158097. PMID: 27367604. PMCID: PMC4930193.
• Boerma M, Nelson GA, Sridharan V, [et al.]. Space radiation and cardiovascular disease risk. World journal of cardiology. 2015 7(12):882-8. PMID: 26730293. PMCID: PMC4691814.
• Lieblong BJ, Sridharan V, Srivastava AK, [et al., including Boerma M]. Role of the bradykinin B2 receptor in a rat model of local heart irradiation. International journal of radiation biology. 2015 91(8):634-42. PMID: 25955317. PMCID: PMC4743985.